Method of baling fibrous material



N. B. HENRY.

METHOD OF BA LING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

. Patented Jan. 6,1920.

3 SHEETbSHEEI I 1% APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1916.

Q/Vitnmo attorney I N. B. HENRY.

METHOD OF BALING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.24. 19l6. 1,327,471. Patented Jan. 6,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- gnben-foz N B. HENRY.

METHOD OF BALING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED'APR.Z4, 1916.

1,327,471. Patented Jan. 6,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

5] wue'wtot UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON B. HENRY, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0MRS. MOLLIE Fri. MILLER, 9E ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

METHOD OF BALING FIBEOUS MATERIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 24, 1916. Serial No. 93,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NnLsoN B. HENRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, haveinvented new and useful Imrovements in Methods of Baling FibrousIaterials, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates'to improvements in the art of compressinghay or other fibrous materials and forming the same into bales, and itcomprehends an improved method consisting in the performance of a seriesof steps in sequential order whereby the production of the bale isgreatly expedited and facilitated.

Preferably, the sequential steps of each series or cycle of operationsare performed concurrently, with the result that the yield by the methodin bales is greatly increased.

The method of the present invention con- 7 sists generally incompressing an entire charge of material suificient for a bale to thedesired extent by a single sustained thrust while opposite sides and anend ofthe charge are confined, then retaining the compressed chargeunder compression independently of the force which compresses thecharge, then tying the compressed charge while so retained undercompression to form the fin ished bale, and finally releasing thecompression upon opposite sides and the end of the bale to permitejection of the finished bale. Preferably, these sequential steps areperformed concurrently. By retaining. the charge under compressionindependently of the force which compresses the charge, the tying of thecharge is effected duringthe period of compression of the nextsucceeding charge or charges.

The method may be carried out with the aid of apparatus of variouskinds, an example of such apparatus being shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein 1- Figure 1 is an elevation of a compress;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same, and

Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing the successivesteps of compressing a charge, retaining the charge under compressionindependently of the compressing means, while the charge is being tiedto form a bale, and releasing the compression upon opposite sides and anend of the finished bale.

Similar parts are represented by the same reference characters in theseveral views.

The apparatus shown will be first described and the method carried outby the said apparatus will then be described.

The apparatus shown comprises a suitable press frame embodying a base 1,a head 2, rigid tension rods 3 connecting the base and the head, and acompressing device shown in the present instance as a hydraulic ram 4. Aplurality of press chambers or boxes 5 are provided wherein the chargesof material are compressed, retained under compression ble about one ofthe tension rods of the press frame as an axis whereby the presschambers or boxes may be positioned successively in alinement with theram or other compressing device. I

Each press chamber or box comprises relatively fixed side members 7 and8, the memher 7 in the present instance being fixed to the carrier whilethe member 8 is hinged or pivoted thereto at or near its lower end. Inthis construction the side members are adapted to occupy a position inparallelism or substantially so during compression and while the chargeis held under compression to permit tyingthereof, the side members beingspread apart or relatively expanded laterally after the tying operationhas been completed. That end of each press chamber which sustains theforce of compression of the ram is also provided with a head 9 which isadapted to occupy a predetermined position while the charge is beingcompressed and while the charge is held under compression, and the headis adapted to move outwardly or in a direction endwise of the presschamber after the tying operation has been completed. Any suitable meansmay be provided for effecting relative lateral movements of the sidemembers and the head of the press chamber. As shown, cranks 10 and 11connect opposite sides of the head 9 with the tops or adjacent ends ofthe side members 7 and 8, the cranks when in one position locking thehead in its inner position to sustain the compression of the chargewhile the side members 7 and 8 occupy their inner position, and when thecranks are swung upwardly the head 9 is moved upwardly and the sidemembers 7 and 8 are expanded or spread apart laterally. Suitable means,such as a toggle 12, may serve to lock the side members in operativeposition while the charge is being compressed and while the charge isbeing held under compression. That end of each press chamber or boxoccupied by the compressed charge is provided with suitable means, suchas dogs 13 and 1 1 which operate to retain the charge under compressionafter compression has been effected by the ram or compressing means. Asshown, these dogs are adapted to swing into the press chamber to engagethe lower end of the bale after compression thereof has been effectedand to swing outwardly to clear the interior of the press chamberpreparatory to the introduction of another charge therein.

According to the present invention, the operations necessary to theproduction of the bale are performed successively at different stations.For example, in Fig. 2 it represents the station where the press chamberreceives its charge, B is the station where the charge is compressed, Cand D represent the stations at which the tying of the bale is effectedwhile compression thereof is maintained, and E represents the station atwhich the finished bale is ejected or removed. While the sequentialsteps just enumerated are performed at difi erent stations, theseseveral steps are performed at thedifl'erent stations concurrently,rotation of the carrier step by step transferring the press chambersprogressively to the different stations.

The method comprehended by the present invention consists in introducinga charge of material into the press chamber while at the station A, theside members and the head of the press chamber then occupying theircontracted or closed position, compressing or transferring this presschamber to the compressing station B and there subjecting the charge vtocompression by the ram 4: or equivalent compressing device, thiscompression being effected by a single stroke of said ram while the sidemembers and the head of the press chamber are in closed or contractedrelation, the compressed charge being maintained under compression byswinging inwardly the dogs 13 and 14, after which the ram or compressingdevice is withdrawn from the press chamber, transferring the presschamber successively to the tying stations, C and D, and placing theties aroundthe bale while the same is maintained under compression bythe dogs, and then transferring the compression chamber containing thetied bale to the ejecting station E and there unlocking and permittinglateral expansion or separation of the side members 7 and 8 and upwardexpansion of the head 9.

Fig. 3 shows the relation of the parts during the compression of thecharge at the station E; Fig. t shows the position of the parts afterthe charge has been compressed, the charge being maintained undercompression by the dogs and the ram or compressing device beingwithdrawn, and Fig. 5 shows the relation of the parts after the bale hasbeen tied or finished and the side members and head expanded.

What I claim is 1. The herein described method of forming material intobales which comprises forming and confining a charge of materialsufiicient for a bale and moving the same into compressing position,then exerting a single sustained compressive thrust on the entire chargewhile confined to compress the same to a reduced and predetermined sizeand to subject the char e to both longitudinal and transversecompression pressure, holding the charge to said predeten mined size andunder said longitudinal and transverse compression pressure as developedby said thrust, removing the charge from the compressing position whilethus held to said predetermined size and under longitudinal andtransverse compression, and tyin the charge at said size and While thusheld under both longitudinal and transverse compression.

2. The herein described method of forming material into bales which comrises forming and confining material su cient for a bale, then exertinga single sustained compressive thrust on the entire charge whileconfined to subject the same to both longitudinal and transversecompression pressure, holding the charge under said longitudinal andtransverse compression pressure as developed by said thrust, thenremoving the medium which compressed the charge, and then applying tiesaround the charge while the charge is thus held under both longitudinaland transverse compression.

3. The herein described method of forming material into bales whichcomprises confining a charge of material suflicient for a bale, thenapplying a single sustained thrust to compress the entire confinedcharge, then holding the charge under compression both longitudinallyand transversely, and removing the compression medium, then removing thecharge from the compression position while the charge is thus held underlongitudinal and transverse compression, and tying the charge while thusheld under longitudinal and transverse compression.

4. The herein described method of forming material into bales whichcomprises forming a charge of material suificient for a bale, thenapplying a single sustained com- .pressive thrust to one end of saidcharge While the opposite end and all the sides of the charge areconfined, removing the compressing medium from the charge and holdingthe charge at both ends and at its sides under the compression developedby said thrust, tying the charge while thus held under compression atboth ends and sides, and then relieving the compression at the sides andat an end of the compressed tied bale.

5. The herein described method of forming material into bales whichcomprises confining a charge of material sufiicient for a bale and inone position of said confined charge exerting a single sustainedcompressive thrust thereon to reduce the same to a predetermined size,moving the charge while of said size and held under both longitudinaland transverse compression to another position, at such latter positiontying the charge while of said size and held under longitudinal andtransverse compression, and moving the tied bale into still anotherposition and there relieving the compres sion on the same.

6. The herein described method of forming material into bales whichcomprises concurrently performing on a plurality of charges of materialsthe following operations sequential to a single charge, namely, at onestation compressing a charge of material sufficient for a bale bothlongitudinally and transversely by a single sustained thrust and whilethe charge is confined, and holding the charge under such longitudinaland transverse compression independently of the force which efiectedcompression thereof, at another station applying ties around a chargewhile thus held under longitudinal and transverse compression,'atanother station relieving the longitudinal and transverse compression ona charge thus compressed and tied, and at another station making up andconfining a charge preparatory to compression at the first mentionedstation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

NELSON B. HENRY. Witnesses:

CHAS. F. SEEGER, S. D. TRowBRmsn.

